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Refresh Your Home and Your Holiday Spirit

10/22/13

Before you begin tying bows on the wreath, baking cookies, or polishing the menorah for the holidays this year, take the time to give yourself a few small but worthwhile and memorable gifts. Suzanne Windle, designer and relocation expert, will show you how to refresh certain everyday aspects of your home so they will brighten your spirits and make the season even more special for your family and friends. Included in her presentation:

• Tips for turning your bedroom and bathroom (also guest room and guest bath) into cozy and inviting places where you can relax at this busy time of year

• Organization updates and not-so-secret secrets for your kitchen that will help take the stress out of entertaining

• A tried-and-true holiday "to-do list," broken down week by week, that will allow you to pace all of the necessary preparations and enjoy a festive, fun and easy holiday season

Suzanne Windle’s firm, Beyond the Box Relocation and Design, is a full-service relocation and design firm catering to both older adults and corporate executives. Located in Georgetown, it is a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers.

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Beating the Holiday Blues

Holidays come with high expectations that can lead to an emotional letdown and feelings of stress. Here is some practical advice for managing the atmosphere of celebration when the cheer just isn’t in your heart:

Allow yourself to decline invitations. If you feel like staying home from a party, don’t feel obligated to go. There are socially acceptable ways to say no. If you don’t feel like attending a church service, don’t go. You won’t lose your faith.

Try to be sociable for a little while. If you’re not comfortable staying for an entire celebration, try to stay for at least a while. It will relieve some of your stress. Also, seeing a movie or having dinner with an old friend and enjoying memories can lighten your mood. Let yourself savor any joyful moment. You might dread the holidays, but you might discover that the anticipation was worse than the reality.

Make your own decision about how you want to observe the holidays. Consider varying the routine by going out for the traditional meal instead of having it at home, maybe even leaving town and visiting a relative. Whether you avoid tradition or stick with it, do what’s best for you.

Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. If some tasks seem too overwhelming, break them down into parts if you can. (For instance, contribute to the family dinner by making part of but not the entire meal.) If you feel you can’t do one more thing without going crazy, explain to a friend you need help with something—baking cookies, shopping or whatever will relieve you of some stress.

Give yourself time-outs. Carve out time for yourself, even if it’s just deciding not to answer the phone for 10 minutes. This will allow you to feel in charge.

Summarized from the DVD, "Hope for the Holidays: Grief and Remembrance." Printed with permission from Widowed Persons Service, Wyoming, Michigan.